filename and URL bringing up just directory name

had a search around and couldn't find this anywhere. trying to access a file from the frontend template by using $variable.Filename or $variable.URL

I even tried a custom function in the controller like below

public function getHomePageVideo(){
      return $this->homePageVideo()->Filename;
}

but always get the same result assets/ and not the filename or the directory the file is stored in, btw I used uploadify in the CMS to upload the file, it is saved in the db and I can see it in FTP and edit it in the CMS but just can't get it out from the frontend. been trying for a while now so hoping someone recogizes what is going on here. thanks for the help